Best venue

Before New York fashion week started there was talk that massive show venues were outdated and it was all about intimate settings in the wake of last season's Tom Ford show. But it turns out that the most interesting venues were Proper New York Places. Special mention must go to Anna Wintour-endorsed Thakoon for showing in the sumptuous ballroom at the iconic Plaza hotel (Wintour commandeered one of the three lifts, leaving the rest of the audience to squish into the other two). But the posh skiwear label Moncler Grenoble of padded jacket fame won with its Glee meets the T-Mobile ad show, which took place on the concourse at Grand Central Station.

Best show

Close call. On the one hand you have models in Latex polka dot dresses stomping past giant padded shiny pillars to Marilyn Manson's The Beautiful People at Marc Jacobs, while on the other you have cashmere pleated excellence at Victoria Beckham (eye rollers: what is wrong with a woman having two successful careers, hmm?). But on balance the British duo behind Preen pulled away from the field showing a gorgeous craft-inspired meets masculine tailoring meets couture collection. So beautiful that it knocked the proverbial socks off the audience.

Colour of the week

Marc Jacobs at New York fashion week. Photograph: Fernanda Calfat/Getty Images for IMG

I've lost count of the amount of times that I wrote burgundy, maroon or claret in my notebook, at Victoria Beckham, Tommy Hilfiger and Marc Jacobs for starters. Which means that autumn/winter has a new trend, people: three cheers for boozy colours.

Look best left on the catwalk

Marc Jacobs at New York fashion week. Photograph: Peter Foley/EPA

Chinstraps. As seen first at Victoria Beckham, where the designer claimed that she wanted something "a bit more editorial", then reprised at Marc Jacobs. There the chinstraps were super-tight and attached to mini vinyl berets. It was meant to emphasise the austere and slightly fetishistic vibe he was going for. Verdict: perfectly acceptable catwalk fodder but just a bit too post-facelift for the real world.

Dullest trend

The 1970s. Last season Marc Jacobs did it, ergo this season quite a few other New York designers did it too. The Love Story look was around, as was the groupie look, as was the Studio 54 look (with a touch of the Wild West thrown in – don't ask) at Diane von Furstenberg. Not that there weren't some lovely wearable pieces, but as a way of describing a "new" trend? Snoresville. Someone think up a new description, please.

Accessory of the week

Victoria Beckham's show at New York fashion week. Photograph: Peter Michael Dills/Getty Images

Knee boots. Next season you are going to be spoilt for choice for heeled boots. Not tight riding boots but, if you have the calves for it, slightly looser and right up to cover the first bit of the knee. Christian Louboutin made some specially for the VB show. DVF was keen on them, as was Hilfiger. Jacobs bucked the trend with his wedge-heel calf-length boots (or as he called them: snuff suede galoshes). But it's a safe bet that by autumn our high street will have knocked out myriad versions of the looser knee boot.

The details to note

It's worth knowing that Theyskens' Theory (by Parisian favourite Olivier Theyskens) is the new insider's cult label – all the French Voguers will wear it. Also, Sofia Coppola, Martha Stewart and Whoopi Goldberg were all on Jacobs's front row. But to show that you really have a handle on New York fashion week, there are a few key details to mention. First, peplums (flounces on the waist) are big news (navy crepe at Preen, padded at Thakoon and couture meets fetish at Jacobs). Second, below-the-knee lengths are sticking around – Beckham is pushing the look, so were Hilfiger and DVF. If you want to sexy that up a little, study Preen, who split their midi-lengths to create the perfect modest-to-modern ratio.

Best coat

The Tommy Hilfiger show at New York fashion week Photograph: EMPICS Entertainment

Beckham needs a mention as she launched her first coats, including one she described as "a bit Little Red Riding Hood" – swingy with a giant buckle at the neck. Thakoon's red and blue quilted jackets were contenders as they boasted peplums (trend tick) and New York is the spiritual home of the padded coat. But the winner was Tommy Hilfiger, who showed his best collection in ages and gave us sharp mannish tailored coats, rubber-lined putty parkas and, best of all, a multi-pocketed suede parka.

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